As a Milwaukee resident, I think Obama's visit would be an unqualified Good Thing if he persuades the legislature to hand over MPS to Barett. Not for any political reason, but because MPS is a catastrophe and the only person in city government who seems to know it is Barett.

James C. Wright was a prominent Madison Pastor and civil rights leader. The school district has had trouble attracting students to Wright Middle School in part because of its location -- it's really in the middle of nowhere in Madison. I'd say there are 100 houses near enough to it that you could comfortably walk there. In contrast, there are probably 500+ houses within walking distance to Hamilton Middle School, which competes with Wright for students. (My kids go to Hamilton).

How unpopular is Obama really? We kept hearing that his policies are tanking badly in the polls, but he remains personally popular. But how much of that is due to people being afraid of being called racist? It's been noted that black candidates tell to poll better than they do on election day. How much of his supposed popularity is a mirage?

Re: The Lesson in Democracy Video: That protestor is from Monona. I guess you can't get much of an audience there. Just like you can't get good restaurant food in Monona, and you have to come to Madison.

I'm surprised the teacher didn't dress up a little bit more for the President's visit.

mccullough said..."Obama set aside enough money for all the 1,716 D.C. voucher students to receive grants for private school through high school. But he would not allow any new students to join the voucher program."

Keep this in mind folks, next time you hear a Obama speech about how he wants to improve education.

(I don't dislike Tom Barrett, he is probably the least liberal and least corrupt person who can be elected mayor in Milwaukee)

I feel the same way. The fact that he alone seems willing to take on the unions over this school takeover has drastically raised my approval of him. It seems like ever since that bump on the noggin he's been making much better decisions. Even Belling can hardly find anything to complain about.

I for one hope that a Madison middle school student explained to Obama the situation now facing men 6 or so years older than the student who are serving as human ambush targets in every Afghanistan mountain guerilla trap, patiently awaiting some word from his Commander-in-chief on whether his service to the death has any value to this country.

I guess you can't get much of an audience there. Just like you can't get good restaurant food in Monona, and you have to come to Madison..

West side snobbery. I would suggest trying David's Jamaican, easily the best Jamaican food in the Madison area, but that might be a little too much out of the comfort zone for the west side yuppies who need those familiar franchised fake trappings. David's has old 70's puke green ripped seats, a $50 Walmart boombox, and most importantly, shit service. To non locals. So enjoy your Olive Garden on the other side of town, west side snob, that just leaves more of that heavenly sweet potato cake for me!

well we at least agree on that. I take my staff out to lunch each month at local spots. Tomorrow is our next. Somebody always wants to go across the street to the OG. I point out that we won't be going there if I'm buying.

Ok, her ass. Now I am confused. I thought that, since her rants are so mean and nasty and full of anger that she was a lonely , lonely man, a friend of Rush's. This changes the whole complexion. Who is this Michelle Malkin, Bachmann, Ingraham, or Coulter? All angry, angry women. Blond, bimbo? Hmmmmm

I usually get the ox tail, but ask if they have the ackee cod, if it's in season. It's imported fresh, not frozen, straight from Jamaica. And always always ask for extra hot sauce. After a while you can't distinguish between the sweat, the snot running, or the scotch bonnet sauce. I'm a regular there and I always flirt to get better service, portions, and free cake. Last time I went in I was already loosened up with some beers previously, and I walked in they said "Hi Mark...." and I walked over and said "give me some of that sweet brown sugar", gave her a hug, and they laughed hysterically, uncontrollably, for 5 minutes. I mean hysterical.

Madison AtoZ says the service sucks too. I try to avoid bad service -- who has time? There was a great French Quarter-ish place on Willy Street that had lousy service. It's gone now. Too bad, it's food was great but you just waited forever.

The only chain I go to is Culvers. But my brother-in-law worked for the Culvers when it was an A&W so I feel a family obligation that way :)

Social distinctions are amusingly relative. No matter where you go, the people who live in the crap part of town think that people in the marginally nicer places are superficial yuppie snobs who lack soul. Never mind that those west side yuppies are mostly plaid-wearing aw-shucks down-to-earth mid-westerners. And Olive Garden, for yuppies?

Social distinctions are amusingly relative. No matter where you go, the people who live in the crap part of town think that people in the marginally nicer places are superficial yuppie snobs who lack soul..

Ok SoulMan, why the attitude towards the east side then, and what's "crappy" about it? You just answered your own question about snobs.

MadMan, I was just razzing you, as I'm sure you knew. The place on Willy was Bab's, I've only tried their Po Boys once or twice.

"He'a a bay killing racist who is actively trying to destroy this country ..."

Sadly, true. And yet, God commands us to turn the other cheek and to forgive the sinner.

So, we do.

But we cannot excuse his sin.

Barack Obama is a war criminal. After all, he launches Hellfire missiles into Pakistan and murders innocent women and children in his pursuit of alleged terrorists who have received no trial, who have been meted no sentence.

He just murders them with missiles from robot drones with not a care in the world how many children get killed in the horrible collateral damage.

And yet, in God's eyes, we must love the sinner ... even though it is true that he should be arrested, brought to trial at Nuremberg and receive the exact same sentence all mass murdering Hitlers throughout history have received: A one-way trip to meet the big man himself.

Florida, you wing nut. If Obama is a"war criminal" then what are Bush and Cheney? They perpetrated the horror of excess that is Iraq on all of us. They deserve at least war criminal status, if that is how you judge things. Iraq was a war we should have never gotten involved in, ever.

Florida, what's up with you, off your meds? You sound kind of scary. By your definition Bush and Cheney killed thousands of Iraquis and Agfhani civilians by lobbing bombs in both territories. Now I am totally against both wars but I would never, never accuse them of war crimes. You may not like Obama, not high on my list either, but your rhetoric borders on the insane.